When deleting and defining user catalogs, new parameters on DELETE and DEFINE are provided to keep alias information, and subsequently restore the alias information on a re-define of the same catalog name. Use DELETE USERCATLOG NODISCONNECT to retain the catalog’s alias information, and DEFINE USERCATLOG RECONNECT to restore the catalog’s alias information. The new instance of the catalog can be defined on a different volume and device type then the prior instance. The purpose of retaining and restoring aliases when deleting and re-defining a catalog is to ensure new data set defines will not be oriented to other catalogs during this window.